Schoolgirl’s fund-raising new look will benefit baby appeal

April 29, 2021 Off By admin

The reopening of hairdressing
salons, closed for months due to the lockdown, has been welcomed by many –
including schoolgirl Eva Bell, who has a very special appointment booked.

The kind-hearted 12-year-old is raising money for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity’s BIG Neonatal Appeal by having her long locks cut.

The Charity is part of Bradford
Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the Big Neonatal Appeal is aiming to
raise more than £1 million to create extended accommodation for parents to stay
close to their babies at the Trust’s neonatal unit, based at Bradford Royal
Infirmary.

Eva, who lives in Gilstead and
is a pupil of Beckfoot School, Bingley, was inspired to fund-raise for the unit
after it cared for twins born to family friends, Ben and Anna Grange. The
siblings, Monte and Lottie, now aged three, were born prematurely at just 24
weeks in December 2017.

Eva said: “When the twins were
born, they were in hospital for a long time so lots of friends including my
mum, wanted to help Ben and Anna and the twins’ big sister, Elsie by cooking
meals. They set up a ‘kindness table.’ I saw what they were doing and asked if
I could do something to help. It was mum who said, why not try and do some
fund-raising.

“I have been growing my hair now
for three years so that I could have it cut off and raise money for the
neonatal unit. Lots of babies are born prematurely and I just wanted to say
thank you to the people who look after them. I am so grateful to people who
have sponsored me including all my friends and teachers. I go to a lovely
school and everyone has got behind me.”

Eva’s transformation – “I’m
going to have around 16 inches cut off so my hair will be in a bob, just under
my chin” – will take place on Friday, 7 May, 3.45pm at The Hair Studio,
Cullingworth thanks to family friend and hairdresser, Steph Greaves.

And Eva revealed that the cut-off,
lovely, long locks will not be going to waste. She will be donating her hair to
The Little Princess Trust, which provides free real hair wigs to children and
young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer
treatment or other conditions.

“I’m a bit excited but I’m a bit
nervous too but when I get nervous, I just tell myself that other children need
my hair more than I do and all of this is for a really good cause”, she said.

She added that she couldn’t wait
for further restrictions to be lifted so that she could see the twins properly
and play with them.

“They are absolutely adorable.
They are growing up and really smiley. I can’t wait to spend more time with
them when we can – 100 per cent!”

Eva’s mum, Amy said: “Eva has
never really had her cut apart from the ends trimming, since she was a baby. In
fact when she was little she used to say she was Rapunzel and would lose all
her magic powers, if she had it cut! I am in awe of her doing this, I really am
so proud of her.”

Dad of the twins, Ben said:
“This is a wonderful gesture from Eva and very humbling. It is a super-brave
and selfless thing to do. We have known Eva since she was born and she really
is a lovely girl. I just can’t speak highly enough of her. It’s hard to put
into words just how touched we have been by the kindness and support shown to
us from the beginning when Monte and Lottie were born.”

Speaking of the twins now, he
added: “They are a real handful, running around and causing mayhem – and both
very different characters. Monte is bigger than Lottie but Lottie can
definitely stand up for herself!”

Hayley Collis, Head of
Fundraising for Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, said: “I speak on behalf of our Charity
and our Neonatal Unit when I say that we are in awe of Eva’s bravery and
kindness. The money raised will go towards creating extra bedrooms for parents
to stay in overnight so they can be close to their babies, as well as communal
areas to ensure families can feel relaxed and comfortable, in what we hope will
be a real home-from-home.”

Bradford’s Neonatal Unit cares
for around 500 premature and sick babies every year. Approximately one baby in
10 requires admission to the unit, which takes babies from all over the
Yorkshire and Humber region. Staff provide intensive care treatments to babies
born as early as 23 weeks.

You can sponsor Eva here: Eva’s
Big Hair Cut fundraising on JustGiving

Money raised by Eva will be
shared between the Bradford Neonatal Unit and the neonatal unit at Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which also cared for the twins.

To find out more about Bradford
Hospitals’ Charity and how you can support your local hospitals, visit: https://bradfordhospitalscharity.org/

Read more about Bradford’s Big
Neonatal Appeal here: https://bradfordhospitalscharity.org/big-neonatal-appeal/

You can read more about The
Little Princess Trust here: https://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/